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Tepoztlan * Puebla
" Tepotzlan " lays in a superb valley surrounded by eroded volcanic mountains.
We spend our morning walking in the town center, visiting « El ex covento Dominico de la Navidad » damaged by the earthquake and enjoying the Sunday market.
Back to Puebla.
We go to our Insurance company to extend our camper insurance for another 6 months . There we meet a french guy living now in Puebla since 2008. It helps to have someone speaking french…
The insurance policy we now have is a specific one, only sold at the border. The estimate Sébastien gives us is 50% more expensive than the one we have. So we call the agency at the border where we bought our first policy, and 10 minutes later we have our extansion for the same price as we paid in january.
At the end of the day , we meet Armando, a french speaking mexican guy, owner of a camper and departing to Columbia.
He gives us pieces of advice regarding security in Mexico and tells us about nice spots which can’t be missed.
Xochicalco * Tepoztlzan
This morning, the sun is back and we drive through a nice green and hilly countryside. It makes a change with the dry plains we’ve crossed in the north.
Once more, we take the highway to avoid the villages and their « Topes » and preserve our camper.
« Xochicalco », meaning « the place of the house of the flowers » was once, one of the most important prehispanic center during the late classical period.
The city filled up the void left by the fall of Teotihucan and was inhabited between 700 and 900 AD untill Tula became the new power center of Mexico.
The city has been built on top of a hill, a strategic position allowing the Xochicalcas to defend themselves against possible invaders and to observ the stars.
Discovered in 1977, the pyramid of the feathered snake is decorated by very well kept bas-reliefs ( Mayan style faces and glyphs)
Impossible to visit the « observatorio » closed for an unknown reason. It’s a pitty as this cave has got a skylights which allows the sun to project the exact hexagonal image of the well twice a year.
Some days, nothing work as it should. We had planned to bivouac in Cuernavaca on a parking place found on a camper’s app, but it’s now forbidden. So, we cross this city through very steep streets and head towars « Tepotzlan ».
As it’s not our day, there is a big fiesta and all the roads are blocked. We have to take extremely narrow, steep cobblestone streets… Jean-Pierre walking in front of the camper to guide Christophe…
The kind of situation we love !!! A nightmare for the breaks of the camper.
Finally a guy tells us we can park on the cemetery parking place.
Malinalco * Taxco
" Malinalco " is famous for its archeological site.
To reach this superb ceremonial center, one has to climb 425 steps. The view from the top is great.
Started in 1476 by the natives, it has bee invaded by the Aztecs.
The main building and stairs are entirely sculpted in the cliff. Other buildings are decorated with impressive bas-reliefs. It’s a very well kept original site.
Back to the village, it’s once again impossible to visit the church due to the 2017 earthquake’s damages.
Our next stop : « Taxco »
Leaned back against the mountain, at an altitude of 1800 m., its name means
« The place of the ball game » in nahuatl language.
In 1552, the spanish were attracted there by the Aztec stories telling about the ore deposits.
« Silver » was at its highlight during more than a century.
Then, in the 18th century, spurred on by the french José De La Borda, the town becomes a world known silversmith’s trade center.
Nowadays, this colonial town counts more than 300 silver-jewelery shops.
We walk along very steep streets, that remind us of the villages of « Le Pays Basque » : white houses with a red liseré.
We meet a young couple starting their world tour with rucksacks….We talk about each one’s project and exchange our tips.. Nice moment.
* Iglesia de Santa Prisca : This splendid church with a churrigueresque facade overlooks « La Plaza Borda ». This generous Borda financed the construction of this church.
At the end of the afternoon we experience an incredible storm. In a couple of minutes the steep streets are changed into torrents.
We watch this from our camper which is, believe it or not, in a covered garage for the night.
Toluca* Teotenango * Malinalco
" Toluca ", the capital city of Mexico State lays at an altitude of 2 680 m. It’s the highest county town in Mexico.
Founded by the spanish at the end of the 17th century it abounds in beautiful buildings all around the Zocalo.
* Cosmo Vitral Jardin Botanico : This 3200 square meters botanical garden is housed in an old covered market whose walls and ceilings are made of stained-glasses window. They are made out of 150 000 pieces of glass and tell about the universal dualities and antagonisms such as life and death or night and day. Very beautiful.
* Museo de Bellas Artes : It’s housed in the ancient « Covento de la Purifisima Conception » built between 1687 and 1711. It offers a collection of 17th an 18th century New Spain paintings. It’s a way to introduce ourselves to painters we’ve never heard of.
We buy a new mexican sim card to be always conected as our French sim card doesn’t work everywhere, and then head to « Teotenango » under a stormy looking sky.
It’s a fortified spot which was at his best between the 10th and 12th century before beeing subjected by the Aztecs. This ceremonial center is made out of several pyramids, large squares and one Juego de Pelota.
It’s a very nice little spot, out off the touristic roads.
We choose a bivouac in « Malinalco » in the end of the afternoon and wander in the streets.
Toluca
Here we are, on the road again under a very threatening sky.
Before taking the highway to cross the capital city, we make a stop at
« Bridgeston » to change the oil of the camper.
Very nice people there, who try do their best for us. ( They order the necessary oil which is delivered within 30 minutes and go by bike to buy a liter of diesel they needed to fill up the gasoil filter) Of course the oil and gasoil filters are ours …(that’s why we paid an importation tax at the airport…)
We arrive in Toluca middle of the afternoon to do a complete shopping for our onwards trip.
ROAD BOOK 051
MAVROS ODYSSEE
